Lumber feeding and manipulating means



L. J. GRUBMAN ET AL Oct. 23, 1928.

LUMBER FEEDING AND MANIPULATING MEANS Original Filed March 26, 1925 g I V Elnuenfozo ZeaJG'ramanw Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

(UNITED STATES LE JP GBUBMAN, or BELLE HARBOR, AND EDWIN A. eonLnY, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUMBER FEEDING Ann manirnrarnve MEANS.

Original application filed. March 26,: 1923, semi No. I i 1924. Serial This invention relates to lumber feeding,

and manipulating means and constitutes flidl", vision of our copending 'applicationforpatent, Serial No. 627,595, filed March 26th, 1923. on whichU. SPate'nt 1,652,198 has been issued. p I It is the primary object of our present 1m- 1 provement to 'provide a lumber feeding :and manipulating means wherebyduring the feeding movement of-the lumber or boards, a grading expert may 'inspectmall' parts of the boards without interruption of the feed,- inginovement, and thus accurately determine the proper grade thereof. e-

y In one practicalembodiment of our invention, we provide a' seriesof positively driven feed rollers,. an'd means associated therewith to support theboard on edge in a vertical plane during the first portion of its feeding movement and then subsequently dispose the board ahorizonta'l plane for continued feeding movement by the roller.

Thus both sides of the board will be exposed to view so that any imperfections therein may be duly noted and the proper grade of the board determined accordingly. U I, I

It is a further general bject of our fin vention to provide a lumber feeding means of the abovecharacter which is quite simple in its construction and, therefore, strong and durable and which will relieve the grading expert of the necessity of manually mai nipulating or handling the individual boards.

With the above and other'objects in view,

our invention consists in the improved lumber feeding and manipulating means, and in the form, construction and "arrangement of the several parts thereof as will be herein after more fully described, illustrated in the 40 accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporatedin the subjoine d claims. 7 r In the drawings wherein we have disclosed one simple and satisfactory embodimen'tiof the invention'and in which similar'reference characters designate corresponding -parts throughout the several views-5 j .7

Figure 1 is a top plan view of embodi-- mentof our improved lumber feeding and manipulating means; and i Figure 2 isa longitudinal section taken on the line 2 -2 of Figure 1. 7 V V In the accompanying drawings we have shown the lumber feeding means. which constitutes the particular subject matter of this application associated with an automatic 627,595. Divided and this application filed IayS,

grade marking or stamping mechanism and an automat c measuring mechanism. These grade stampingv and measuring mechanisms are" fully illustrated, described'and claimed in our-original application above referred to. Therefore, for'the purposes of this explanation it will suffice to state the boards aresuccess vely fed without interruption vof tneir-movement-by the feedingunit A first to the grade marking or stamping mecha- PATE T 'oFFlcE- nism i fi, and then to the measuringmechanism C. I However, it will be understood that in so far as the novel'features of the board feedis-concerned, such means might be advantageously used independently of the grade stamping and measuring mechanism.

in the embodiment of the invention which We have selected for purposes ofillustration, the feed table consists of similar parallel side frame members 5 in which a plurality of spaced parallel transversely positioned rollers 6.aregsuitably 'journaled at their ends. The roller shafts at one of, their ends; are extended beyond the frame member '5 and provided with suitable sprockets for engage,-

Iment by the drive chain 7 Rotation is imparted to one of the end rollers through a suitable driving connection 8 from any convenient source of power, and through the -medium of the chain 7 the remaining rollers are positively driven or rotated in the same direction and at the same speed.

s and manipulating means herein claimed I Uponone of the side frames 5' and'spaced above the same, a longitudinally "extending guide rail 9 is suitably supported, lThis rail eir-tendsjfrom one end of the table and ter inmates in ;an inwardly curvedfinger 10, at

a point in spaced relationto the opposite v end of the table. Thosefeed rollers 6 for the longitudinal extent of the rail 9 are pro vided at oneof their ends and adjacent to theinner side of said rail with the circumferential grooves 11. The lumber or board, as indicated at Lin Figure 2, is placed upon the feeding rollers inedgewise position with the lower longitudinal edge of the board engaged in the grooves 11. As these rollers rotate, the board is longitudinally fed with its outer side in contact with the rail 9.

; As the end of the board strikes the inwardly curved finger 10 of said rail, the board. is turned inwardly so that it falls downwardly to a horizontalposition upon the feed rollers 6, the feeding lmovement being then continned with the board in this position. It will thus be apparent thata grading expert stationed at one side of the feed table will first observe one side of the board as vit is moved longitudlnally by the teed rollers 1n the position seen in Figure 2, and then when the board is disposed in a horizontal position on the rollers as above explained, he can readily observe the oppositeside there of. Thus the board can be carefully inspectedits imperfections noted and its prop-. er grade determined accordingly.

From the foregoing descriptiointhe con struction and manner ofoperatio-n oi our present improvement will'be clearly and fully understood. It will be seen that no r 1 handling or manipulation whatever of the board is required, while at the same time all surfaces ofjthe board are fully exposed to inspection by the grading expert stationed at, one side ofthe table so that he may properly determine the particular grade of the-in dividual boards as they are continuously movedby the feeding rollers JO the grad marking mechanism, or to a planer or-otlier machine. Thus the possibility of errors in determining the various grades and marking the-boards accordingly 1s reduced to a 111lnl-' mum. Y a

In the drawings and the foregoing descripi101], We'have disclosed an embodiment of our invention whlch we believe to be thoroughly practical forthe purpose in view, but it is nevertheless apparent that other alternative embodiments of such board feedingfand manipulating means might be devised for the purpose of obtaining similar results. no-

, its lower edge engaged in the grooves of said rollers, means for rotating said rollers to feed the board longitudinally along saidrail, and said rail provided with. means at oneofits ends against which the board is directed and whereby the board is moved-from such ver- .tical position to a substantially horizontalv position: upon the feed rollers of the table.

2. In combination with a lumber feeding table, means for mechanically manipulating each piece of lumber during its movement over the table, said means including a member to sustain the-lumber in one position for a. :portion of its movement said member having means to c'oact with the lumber as it is fed forwardly over;the-table-,and d1spose the lumber 1n another posltion durmg the remainder of its feeding movement. whereby both sides of the lumber are ,eXposed for in- Lspection. ,7 r v 3. In combination with a lumber feeding table, a longitudinally extendingra il supporting the lumberin one position during the first part of its feeding movement, said rail terminating at one of 1ts ends 1n means adapt ed to coact with each 'piecegof lumber as it is fed forwardly over the table'to automatieal dispose the same inanother position andat right angles with respect to its firstposition "for the remainderof the feeding movement to thereby ez zpose both "sides of the lumber tor 1nspect1on-.'

' 4. In comb nation with a luinber'feeding table ineludinga plurality of feedrollers,

certain of said rollers having circumferential grooves to receiveone longitudinal edge of the board and support thesamein-a'vertica'l plane during'the' firstvpart of its feeding movement, relatively stationary I means having a part adapted to coact with one endjof the board and'automatically cause thesame to move toa horizontal position upon the feed rollers to thereby dispose both sides of the board'for inspection; I I

'5. In combination with'a lumber feeding table including" a"plurality ofrfeed ro'llers, certain ofsaid, rollers having circumferential grooves to receive one longitudinal edge of the board'and'support the same in a vertical plane during the first "part of its feeding movement, a stationary cam member mounted above the table at one end ofthelgrooved se-- ries of rollers with which the endof the board is adapted to engage, wherebythe'boardi's moved from itsvertical position'to ahorizone tal position upon, the feeding rollers to eX- pose both "sides 1 of, the board for inspection. 6; In combination with a lumber feeding table having'a plurality of spaced "feed rollers and operating means therefor, a'l'ixedfra'il extending longitudinally along one side of the table above the rollers to sustain a board in vertical position'for a. part ofits travel overthe-table, said rail'at one of its ends terminating in an inwardly extending cam por tion withwhich one end of the board is adapt ed to 'coact whereby the board is caused to move from such vertical position toa horizontal po'sitionupon the feed rollersto thereby expose both iside'slof the boardfor inspection;

7. In' co'mbination with a lumber 'feeding table having a plurality of spaced feed rollers and cperatingmeans therefo'r, certainof said rollersv having circumferential grooves adj a cent one of their ends, a'fixed longitudinally extending rail mounted above the grooved ends of the'latterrol-lers and sustaining the board in a vertical positiom'with its lower edge engaged in said grooves during the first part of the feeding movement of the board, said rail at one end having an inwardly curved cam portion with which the end of the board is adapted to be engaged, whereby the board is caused to move from such vertical position to a horizontal position upon the feed rollers to thereby exposeboth sides of the board for inspection. 1

I 8. In combination With means for feeding a board arranged on edge inthe direction of itslengt-h comprising means above said feeding means and caused by the movement ofthe board to move the said board from a .po-

sition in a vertical plane to a position in a horizontal plane, whereby both sides of the board are exposed for inspection Withoutinterruption of the feeding movement of said board.

9. In a lumber feeding mechanism com pendent of'the conveying means and caused by the movement of the board to automatically dispose said boardin a horizontal plane Without interruption of the continued feeding movement of the board.

10, In combination with a plurality of spaced feeding rollers, means for supporting a board on edge in a vertical plane on said rollers, and means abovet he rollers for movmg the board to a horizontal position upon said rollers caused by the movement of the 1 board on the rollers.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing asour invention, We have signed our names hereto. 7

. LEO J. GRUBMAN.

EDWIN A. GODLEY; 

